Rose Earns Shot At Rich Adelaide Race

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Rose Of ScotlandRose Of Scotland will have a shot at next month's $200,000 Adelaide Millions at Morphettville after scoring an upset win in the Shaw Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at Mowbray.

The Charlie Goggin-trained two-year-old ($6.50), ridden by Stephen Maskiell, downed the long odds-on favourite Strike The Tiger ($1.20) who had previously been unbeaten in three starts including the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Launceston on February 14.

Jockey Damien Oliver told connections of the Michael Trinder-trained Strike The Tiger that the Bel Esprit gelding was shin-sore which was later confirmed by stewards.

Prime Thoroughbreds syndicator Joe O'Neill paid $47,500 at the Adelaide Magic Millions for the Stratum filly.

"I valued her at $80,000 but the sale was very weak," O'Neill said.

O'Neill said stablemate Too Many Reds would accompany Rose Of Scotland by ferry to Melbourne and the pair would be floated to Lindsay Park, Angaston, where they will stabled on the trip to South Australia.

Too Many Reds, a colt by Magic Albert, will run in the Group Two Yallambee Stakes (1200m).

He has won all three starts this preparation including last Sunday's Three-Year-Old Classic (1200m) at Launceston.

I'm A HussyMeanwhile, Launceston Cup-winning jockey Ben Melham made it a running double when he guided the speedy I'm A Hussy to victory in the Listed Vamos Stakes (1400m), giving trainers David Brunton and his son Scott their fourth win in the race in five years.

The West Quest five-year-old, now prepared by at Seven Mile Beach near Hobart by the Bruntons, fractured a pelvis as a two-year-old and was off the scene for the best part of two years before returning to racing.

I'm A Hussy was having her first start at 1400m and has now won five of her 10 starts and three of her last four.

The Bruntons won the Vamos with Lekitama in 2005 and 2006 while Lady Lynette took out the race for them last year.

Pictures: Greg Irvine

Pre-race Controversy Mars Launceston Cup

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Larry's Never LateLarry's Never Late has won Wednesday's Group Three $300,000 Launceston Cup which was marred by pre-race controversy when the favourite De Fine Lago was scratched by stewards who ruled the gelding was lame.

The seven-horse field, following the scratching of Grand Destiny on Tuesday and the late withdrawal of De Fine Lago, was the smallest in Launceston Cup history .

The pre-Cup drama started when Tasmanian Turf Club stewards, chaired by Wade Hadley, withdrew De Fine Lago, saying the Hobart Cup runner-up was lame.

The club's veterinary surgeon said De Fine Lago had quartered the inside heel of the near foreleg.

Trainer Tony Vasil made a request to stewards that race rider Damien Oliver canter him around to the barrier before the race.

"If stewards thought he was lame so be it, scratch him, I was that confident he'd be okay," the Caulfield trainer said.

However his request was refused.

"I'm bitterly disappointed and annoyed," Vasil said.

"The owners have spent the best part of $9,000 to bring him here for nothing. I thought he had the race at his mercy and to be pulled out in these circumstances is quite ... I won't even say.

"In their view they believe the horse is lame, but I've had the horse here a couple of days, I rode him myself yesterday (Tuesday) at Longford.

"I'm not a mug. I've been training horses for a fair while.

"I know a horse that is lame and what's not. He has got an abrasion on the bowl of his heel. If you push it, yes he'll react to it.

"But his action, all you've got to do is get him out on the grass and bowl him off and he'd be fine."

The victory of Larry's Never Late was a triumph for Mt Eliza trainer Rod Douglas who also won the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) with Zabeel filly Coulis last Sunday, and Melbourne jockey Ben Melham.

Melham said the win was equal to his previous best which was the 2009 Group Three Coongy Handicap at Caulfield aboard Baughurst.

Sent out at $4.20, Larry's Never Late was well ridden by Melham in a muddling-run race and went on to score by 2-1/4 lengths from Dream Pedlar ($4.70) with Growl ($1.70 fav) 5-1/2 lengths away third.

Douglas said he was confident the Pentire four-year-old could turn the tables on Hobart Cup (2200m) winner Growl after finishing fourth in that race.

"Shocking only just beat him for second in the Queensland Derby," Douglas said.

Larry's Never Late & Ben Melham"Growl has won one race in three years so I thought it would be a miracle if he won two in a row."

Larry's Never Late is out of the Zabeel mare Laebeel who was runner-up to Sky Heights in the 1999 Caulfield Cup.

The four-year-old gelding, raced by Jonathan Munz's Pinecliff Racing Syndicate, hadn't won since taking out the Hamilton Cup (2200m) as a three-year-old on a slow track in April last year.

Last season he contested three Derbys, finishing sixth to Rebel Raider in the 2008 Victoria Derby, fourth to the same horse in the 2009 SA Derby and third to Court Ruler in the Queensland Derby.

Douglas said Larry's Never Late was still in the Group Two Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 8.

"But we might give him a break and take him to Queensland for the winter," he said.

The gelding has won six races and been placed in another four of 23 starts.

Pictures: Greg Irvine

Royal Ida Keeps Winning Momentum

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Luke Oliver

Prolific winner Royal Ida won his second black type race since coming out of retirement for new trainer Luke Oliver when he took out the Thomas Lyons Stakes at Hobart.

The Caulfield trainer has won three races, including the Group Three Standish Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on New Year's Day with the nine-year-old who was officially retired by his former trainer, Mt Gambier-based Mick O'Leary, who won 15 races with him.

"The ultimate goal with him is to get him to 20 wins and $1 million," Oliver said.

"We had this earmarked since last spring, after he won the Standish we decided to have a go in Melbourne (fourth of five to Black Caviar in the Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last month) because he has won so many races and such a high rating."

Ridden by Brad Rawiller in the 1400m Listed weight-for-age feature, Royal Snack ($2.80 fav) scored a comfortable 1-3/4 length victory over Conquered with Life To The Full three-quarters of a length away third.

"When they are on level weights and not the top shelf he's normally too good for them," Oliver said.

Royal Ida has raced 55 times for 18 wins 14 placings and $816,698 in stake earnings.

Oliver has had a fruitful summer carnival in Tasmania, also winning the Listed Bow Mistress Stakes (1200m) with Dollops at Hobart last Saturday week.

And he could pick up another prize with Royal Ida who could run in the Listed George Adams Plate (1600m) at Launceston on February 21.

"He could run in that race but we'll look at our options with him in set weights and penalties races in Melbourne," Oliver said.

Oliver had Royal Ida ferried across Bass Strait last Friday night with the Anthony Cummings-trained Zavite who finished seventh in Monday's Hobart Cup.

Picture: Sportpix

Larry Not Late In Launceston Cup

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Larry's Never LateThe Rodney Douglas trained Larry's Never Late continued the run of Interstate victories in the $300,000 Group Three Launceston Cup making it six years since a local has saluted.

This year's Launceston Cup marked the smallest field to ever contest the Group Three event, following the scratching of both Grand Destiny and De Fine Lago, the latter failing a veterinary inspection despite trainer Tony Vasil believing otherwise.

Larry's Never Late ($4.20) was kept out of trouble by jockey Ben Melham for the most part, at times sitting 3-4 horses deep in a muddly run affair, but when the heat went on at the 600m mark it became a race in two with Larry's Never Late skipping away over the concluding stages to defeat local hope Dream Pedlar ($4.70) by two lengths with Growl ($1.70) a disappointing third a further four lengths away.

Despite finishing over eight lengths behind Growl in the Hobart Cup just two weeks ago, the stage was set for a big turnaround when the small field of seven runners left the straight for the first time in a canter.

Not wishing to get involved in a battle for the lead, Melham eased the four-year-old Pentire gelding off heels and took him four wide to get him relaxed.

Without the break neck pace of the Hobart Cup Growl was left tucked away with the run of the race on the rails fifth but that was never going to suit the seven-year-old gelding looking for his second win on the trot after a three year dry spell.

Turning for home it was a two horse race with the crowd cheering for the local hope Dream Pedlar, but it was to no avail as Larry's Never Late showed the class that has already seen him collect over $400,000 in prizemoney from just twenty two starts.

The Group One placed gelding was purchased at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale in 2007 for $77,000 and quickly showed connections his potential winning two of his first three starts.

Picture: Greg Irvine

Tio Rossa Takes Out Strutt Stakes

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Tio Rossa has given father-daughter training team Cindy and Colin Alderson a winner from their first runner in Tasmania, taking out the Strutt Stakes at Hobart.

The diminutive daughter of Testa Rossa was bred by Colin Alderson's wife Lyn who races her with a group including bookmaker Brian Mann and Tony Hart who also raced her dam, the Zabeel mare Tio Belle.

"I can't remember having another runner here which is funny really because my father (Colin) actually comes from Tasmania and we have cousins here," Cindy Alderson said.

Ridden by Craig Williams, Tio Rossa ($1.60 fav) settled forward of midfield and moved up stylishly to score by a length from Feerique with Danaupair Starlet the same margin away third.

Alderson said the half-sister to stablemate, Listed Geelong Classic winner The Tiger, arrived in Hobart a week ahead of the race and would return home to Cranbourne on Tuesday.

The Tiger was unplaced in Monday's Hobart Cup.

"We'll have a think about coming back for the Oaks, but Craig (Williams) just said she's a Moonee Valley horse so we might take her back there and drop her back to a mile (1600m) race," she said.

"We'll see how she pulls up and comes through this race.

The Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2200m) is at Launceston on February 21, while the other option is the Group Two Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley on February 26.

"She's handled this trip extremely well and she's racing with so much enthusiasm and professionalism at the moment so we'll keep going I suppose," Alderson said.

Tio Rossa has won four races, including two at Moonee Valley, and run second three times from nine starts.

Goggin Magic Causes Millions Boilover

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The Charlie Goggin trained Rose Of Scotland has caused the upset of the year winning the $100,000 Shaw Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) and in doing so toppled the $1.20 favourite Strike The Tiger.

Rose Of Scotland ($6.50) jumped well from an inside gate and was able to get onto the favourites back, stalking Strike The Tiger ($1.20) for most of the race before peeling of his heels and putting the race beyond doubt in a few strides to go on and beat the favourite by four lengths with a further half length to Royal Miswaki ($35) third.

Considered one of Tasmania's best two-year-olds until a 17 length flop at Hobart, Rose Of Scotland proved to Goggin she was back on track with a dominant twelve length jump out victory just a week ago.

A filly by Stratum and out of the Encosta De Lago mare Ares De Lago, Rose Of Scotland was purchased by Prime Thoroughbreds for just $47,500 at the 2009 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Stratum is enjoying a great run as his first season of two-year-olds hit the track with none more impressive than Blue Diamond favourite Crystal Lily.

Currently sitting sixth on the first season sires table with over $250,000 in prizemoney already, Stratum is sure to attract interest in the upcoming yearling sales.

Rose Of Scotland's second win, from just four starts, takes her career earnings to almost $70,000 and although it does not provide her with valuable black type, that seems almost a formality on the strength of the win.

The win also bought up the second leg of a winning double for jockey Stephen Maskiell who currently sits second on the states jockey premiership and consistently produces winning rides in the states feature races.



Growl Wins Torrid Hobart Cup

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GrowlOne-time Caulfield Cup fancy Growl won his first race in more than three years despite a torrid run in the Group Three Hobart Cup.

Jockey Brad Rawiller said he was a victim of circumstances on the David Hayes-trained Growl who was shunted five-wide in the back straight in the 2200m race.

"Bossy (Glen Boss on the $4.20 favourite Rathsallagh) at one stage put me out five deep," Rawiller said.

"I thought I couldn't win if I started going forward from there so I got on to the back of Bossy.

"I ended up having to go a touch early but he was too good. Coming to the corner he showed what he's shown at home."

Growl ($12.20) streeted his rivals, racing away to score by 4-1/4 lengths from De Fine Lago ($6.50) with Dream Pedlar ($30) four lengths away third.

Now a seven-year-old, Growl won the 2006 Group Two Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield before failing in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) at his next start when 13th to stablemate Tawqeet.

After finishing runner-up to Desert War in the 2006 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, the Montjeu gelding had two stints of racing in Hong Kong where his owners are based.

"He was in good form the first time he went to Hong Kong but he wouldn't go the other (clockwise) way," said Hayes' assistant trainer Gary Fennessy.

"Later we did jump him and he was a very good jumper, but he retained his dash so we didn't go on with that. He's only lightly raced for a horse his age.

"He should have won last start (when second at Flemington) I thought."

Fennessy said Growl would now have a crack at the Group Three $300,000 Launceston Cup (2400m) on February on February 24 and then he would probably head to Adelaide for the Group Two Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 8.

"He'll run two miles this old bugger," Fennessy said.

"The plan was to go back to Melbourne for the Australian Cup but Dave's got a couple of strong chances in it - Our Aqaleem, maybe Changingoftheguard and maybe Zagreb."

Growl has raced 32 times for seven wins and nine placings and Monday's winner's prize of $220,000 took his stake earnings to $738,822.

Fennessy said Growl would be stabled at Spreyton with trainer Michael Trinder in the lead-up to the Launceston Cup.

The last horse to complete the Hobart Cup-Launceston Cup double was Zacielo in 2004.

Among the disappointments in the race were the Robert Smerdon-trained Rathsallagh who had a chequered passage before finishing 35 lengths last of the 16 runners and the Darren Weir-trained Bangerang Quickpic who weakened to run 13th.

Picture: Quentin Lang

Grand Destiny Scratched From Launceston Cup

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Grand DestinyGrand Destiny has been scratched from tomorrow’s $300,000 Group 3 AAMI Launceston Cup (2400m).

Rated a $3.80 chance with TAB Fixed Odds prior to his scratching, Grand Destiny was withdrawn from the race at 12:30pm earlier this afternoon.

He is now expected to contest the $100,000 Moonee Valley Night Cup (2500m) this Friday night.

The six-year-old gelding won at Flemington on December 19 last year before finishing third in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m).

Subsequent to that, Grand Destiny has finished second at his past two starts also at Flemington.

Trained by Mick Kent at Cranbourne, Grand Destiny boasts a poor record at around Moonee Valley, winning once – a 2040m maiden – from eight attempts.

Earlier today, Thoroughbred Racing SA handicappers released their weights for next month’s $400,000 Group 2 Adelaide Casino Adelaide Cup (3200m) with Grand Destiny handicapped on the minimum weight of 53kgs.

Growl, who was rated a $2.70 favourite before Grand Destiny’s scratching, has now shortened to be a $2.30 favourite for the Launceston Cup ahead of De Fine Lago at $2.40.

Other notable scratchings for tomorrow's Launceston meeting include the Luke Oliver-trained Dollops from the $100,000 Listed Vamos Stakes (1400m) for fillies and mares and the Gary White-trained Twenty Grand in the $15,500 Betfair Handicap (1200m).

Launceston (Wednesday)

Race 7 @ 4:09pm - $300,000 Group 3 AAMI Launceston Cup (2400m)

# Form Horse (Barrier) Trainer Jockey Weight API Win % Place % Odds
1 3X3421 Growl (1) D Hayes
B Rawiller
58.0 23.1 21.9 50.0 $2.30
2 561322 Grand Destiny (3) M Kent
G Boss
54.0 8.7 12.8 43.6 $-
3 469684 Larry's Never Late (8) R Douglas
B Melham
53.5 12.6 22.7 40.9 $7.50
4 841643 Dream Pedlar (9) T Blacker
C Newitt
53.5 7.9 14.8 55.6 $7.50
5 111932 De Fine Lago (6) A J Vasil
D Oliver
53.5 10.1 29.4 64.7 $2.40
6 506067 Geejayhaitch (5) W N McShane
Dean Holland
53.0 3.1 20.8 54.2 $51
7 032033 Himstedt (4) J Luttrell
Lee Smith
53.0 1.7 8.7 43.5 $35
8 987098 Testasaurus (2) C N Goggin
D Pires
53.0 2.7 17.4 47.8 $71
9 046311 Veloce Cavallo (7) T Mollross
J Todd
53.0 3.7 33.3 50.0 $21

Picture: Fiona Tomlin

Tassie Jocks On The Outer

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Tasmanian jockeys will only be spectators when the $400,000 Group 3 AAMI Hobart Cup (2200m) is run later today.

There are only five local horses in the field of 16, and they will all be ridden by mainland jockeys.

The Tassie riders would have done all the hard work preparing the horses for the biggest race in the state but will all be sitting in the grandstand.

It does illustrate how fickle racing can be, roosters today and feather dusters tomorrow.

Wonder how many will turn up at the track to ride in the morning, when the hard yards have to be done.

Growl Chasing More Cups

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David HayesBuoyed by Growl's return to winning form in the Hobart Cup, trainer David Hayes has the seven-year-old set for Wednesday's Group Three Launceston Cup followed by next month's Group Two Adelaide Cup.

Hayes is confident Growl can become the first horse since Zacielo in 2004 to complete the Hobart Cup-Launceston Cup double.

The Montjeu gelding broke a run of 22 outs when he raced to an easy 4-1/4 length win over Launceston Cup (2400m) rival, the Tony Vasil-trained De Fine Lago, in the Group Three Hobart Cup (2200m) on February 8.

"His run at Flemington was fantastic (when runner-up to Coppervue over 2000m) and he was dominant in the Hobart Cup," Hayes said.

"The old horse is flying and he'll go from the Launceston Cup to the Adelaide Cup."

Since the Hobart Cup victory, Hayes' assistant trainer Gary Fennessy has been looking after Growl at Michael Trinder's Spreyton property.

"I would be running him in the Australian Cup if I didn't have such a strong hand in it this year," Hayes said referring to stablemates Our Aqaleem, Changingoftheguard, Zagreb and possibly three-year-old Extra Zero.

Hayes likened Growl to now-retired stablemate Niconero who as a seven-year-old last season made it successive Futurity Stakes (1600m) victories at Caulfield before edging out Theseo in last year's Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington.

Growl, to again be ridden by Brad Rawiller, will carry topweight of 58kg, up 3kg on his Hobart Cup-winning weight.

Last year the Anthony Cummings-trained Zavite won both the Launceston Cup and Adelaide Cup (3200m) after finishing runner-up by a head to Gotta Keep Cool in the Hobart Cup.

Vasil is pleased with De Fine Lago who arrived on a flight in the early hours of Tuesday morning with the Rod Douglas-trained Larry's Never Late.

De Fine Lago was unlucky when runner-up in the Hobart Cup after being held up for a run coming to the home turn.

Vasil is confident the Delago Brom four-year-old can turn the tables on Growl and give him his third success in the race.

"He should have won the Hobart Cup," he said.

The Caulfield trainer won the Launceston Cup in 1993 with Diamond Bases and with Full Of Rhythm in 2001.

Damien Oliver replaces Dwayne Dunn on De Fine Lago while Danny Nikolic will replace the suspended Craig Newitt on the Troy Blacker-trained Dream Pedlar in the Cup.

At the Tasmanian Oaks meeting at Mowbray on Sunday, Newitt was outed for one meeting at a reconvened stewards' inquiry into an incident in the Hobart Cup.

Newitt finished fourth aboard Larry's Never Late in the Hobart Cup.

Dream Pedlar was ridden by Michael Rodd when third in the Hobart Cup.

Ben Melham replaces Newitt on Larry's Never Late.

Grand Destiny was not on the flight to Launceston late on Monday night indicating that trainer Mick Kent has elected not to run the Redoute's Choice six-year-old, leaving a field of only eight starters.

Growl is $2.60 favourite just shading De Fine Lago at $2.90, Grand Destiny at $3.80 with Dream Pedlar and Larry's Never Late both at $9.50.

Picture: Quentin Lang

Richards Back In Tassie With Playwright

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It has been 20 years since Melbourne trainer Steve Richards has taken a horse to Tasmania and he returns with the in-form Playwright in Monday's $400,000 Hobart Cup.

Richards recalled taking Drumming across Bass Strait for the 1990 Tasmanian Derby (2400m) in which the three-year-old was beaten a half-neck when runner-up to King Of Belmont.

"It has taken me 20 years to get back to Tassie," said Richards who has reason to go into the Group Three event with a fair amount of confidence due to Playwright's recent top form.

Two starts back he landed his first win in just under two years with a solid all-the-way victory over Sadalbari in the Byron Moore Hcp (2000m) on his home track on January 1.

Then he was trapped three-deep without cover and went down by a nose to 2007 English Derby placegetter Our Aqaleem over 1600m, again at Flemington, last Saturday week.

"His last run was super. They just don't win when trapped deep all the way like that and he was beaten by a very good horse," Richards said.

That effort confirmed that Playwright was spot-on for a crack at the Group Three Hobart Cup and Richards had him flown to Tasmania in the early hours of Friday morning.

Steven King will again ride Playwright who drew barrier 14 in the 16-horse field which is dominated by interstate runners including the Anthony Cummings-trained Zavite who was runner-up last year to Gotta Keep Cool before winning the Launceston Cup (2400m) and the Adelaide Cup (3200m).

While he has drawn wide and going to 2200 metres for the first time, Richards is enthusiastic about Playwright's prospects.

Now a five-year-old, Playwright showed plenty as a three-year-old winning two straight on his home track including the Group Three C S Hayes Stakes (1400m).

After a narrow defeat by Sound Jeuney in the Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and a close third to Light Fantastic in the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington he was spelled but failed to come up the following spring.

Despite showing glimpses of form last autumn with a third in the Group Three T S Carlyon Cup (1400m) at Caulfield and a second to Largo Lad in the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, Playwright wasn't able to break through for another win.

That was until his current preparation which started mid-spring and Richards has managed to keep him going right through the summer and he has had seven starts in that time.

Ballarat trainer Darren Weir is chasing a fourth Hobart Cup win in five years with Bangerang Quickpic, to be ridden by Craig Williams.

"He's the ideal sort of horse for that race," said Weir who won the race with True Courser in 2006, Offenbach in 2008 and Gotta Keep Cool in 2009, while Field Hunter was third to Bluetigeroo in 2007.

Williams is after his third win in the race having won on Offenbach and Gotta Keep Cool.

Michael Rodd takes the mount on last year's third placegetter Dream Pedlar ($26).